Daijiworld Media Network - Puttur (SP)

Puttur, Jul 28:  Mahesh Hegde, police constable attached to Ajekar police station, stated that the policemen of Andhra Pradesh reserve force behaved  arrogantly. “But they were not under the influence of liquor,” he asserted.

Mahesh was replying to questions directed to him at the hearing of the magisterial inquiry being held by  Puttur assistant commissioner Dr K Harish Kumar into the Dharmastala firing incident, at his office in Puttur on Monday July 27.

"The personnel of Andhra Pradesh Police Reserve Force had come to the district on poll duty on May 1. Before returning to their state by train, they wanted to visit Dharmastala and arrived in KSRTC buses for the same. Myself, Shirva police constable Prakash Gudigar and Shirva police assistant sub inspector K Jaya were deputed by the police department as guides+ for the contingent," he explained.

He also claimed that at the time firing took place, he was not on the spot, as he had gone to the outpost of Beltangady police station in Dharmastala, to report about the ongoing skirmishes between the policemen and the locals. He added that he came to know about the firing after he returned to the spot. He opined that the Andhra policemen might have resorted to firing, having been worried about the security of the arms and ammunitions kept inside the buses. "The crowd that dispersed after light lathi charge came back in full strength later and started hurling stones at the vehicles of the policemen. After the firing, an irate mob gathered at the spot and the police officers and local leaders tried to pacify them, he explained.

When questioned as to what he did when an altercation ensued between the policemen and the public, he said Shirva assistant police sub inspector Jaya conveyed the happenings to Beltangady police cirle inspector and Udupi police circle inspector about the developments, over phone. 

Jaya and Prakash Gudigar too recorded their statements during the hearing.